Dear Community

Ok, I'm presuming this question has been asked a thousand times before and may be the subject of previous threads, if so, I apologize for cluttering up the Simplyscripts cyberspace.

In approximately 90% of the properly formatted scripts I've read here or elsewhere the rule of double spacing between the action lines and the next scene heading is been rigidly adhered to. However, there are that 10% or so of screenplays, most notably "Thief" (the collaborative project undertaken by a number of Simplyscripts members) and few scripts on Triggerstreet, the Black List as well as Simplyscripts which only allow for one space.

So, what's the story? Is this a strict rule or something that can be discarded? I was always led to believe it was the former but man, wouldn't it be useful for reducing the page count if one could save all those extra spaces. I mean, on a 120 page feature you may shorten it by 4 or 5.

Can someone set me straight, please?

Thanking y’all.

Col.

I think it depends on the software really. Final Draft does the double spacing (or maybe it's 1½). I'm not sure all of the others do that as well. I don't think Celtx does it.

I personally like the double spacing as it more clearly seperate the scenes. Then again, I also bold the slugs. Some people frown upon that. I frown upon those people.

You need the extra space.  It tells you that you are moving on, when you are scanning a page.


Phil

It’s not a strict rule. In fact, double spacing used to be frowned upon. It’s in recent years that it’s become acceptable. Readers are demanding less and less words in screenplays.

Final Draft software does it automatically.

Personally, I love it. I think it makes the script look neater, more organized, and adds white space.

I don’t worry about it taking up lines. As long as your writing is concise, that shouldn’t be a problem. I also double space after sentences. It helps me write more efficiently. And I think things like double spacing before scene headings can be signs of an efficient writer if the writer has the chops to back it up.

It doesn’t bother me if a writer doesn’t do it though. And I don’t really think it bothers the average reader.


Breanne

Quoted from Breanne Mattson It’s not a strict rule.

Breanne, that's a very dangerous and incorrect statement, IMO.

Quoted from Breanne Mattson I don’t really think it bothers the average reader.

I could care less what the average reader thinks about double spacing.  I care about what the Industry Professionals think.  And I'm inclined to believe (after listening to Simply Radio podcasts) they definitely prefer as much white space as possible.   So that pretty much makes double spacing a strict rule.   It's those little foxes that spoil the vine.  

Quoted from screenrider Breanne, that's a very dangerous and incorrect statement, IMO.

Why is it dangerous? Will someone be killed if they don’t do it? Why is it incorrect? Scripts that don’t double space sell. Surely that means it’s not a strict rule.

Quoted from screenrider I could care less what the average reader thinks about double spacing.  I care about what the Industry Professionals think.

When I said average reader, I was referring to the average reader in the industry.

Quoted from screenrider I'm inclined to believe (after listening to Simply Radio podcasts) they definitely prefer double spacing.  It's easier on the eyes.   So that pretty much makes it a strict rule.

Prefer is very different from a strict rule. I like it personally and gave my reasons why. I’m encouraging double spacing with scene headers. All I’m saying is that it isn’t a strict rule. Will it hurt your chances of selling if you don’t do it? Maybe. You know what though? Someone can toss your script in the bin for the smallest violation of some personal pet peeve you couldn’t possibly know about.

I’m not going to argue with you about it. I’ve had a script optioned in Hollywood before and nobody gave a damn about whether or not my scene headings were double spaced. They were but I violated several other “rules” and nobody gave a shit. Why? Because it’s a damn good script, an original story, and it’s very well written. They overlooked its flaws because it didn’t have any that couldn’t be fixed.

If you spend all your time fretting over whether or not you’re going to violate some unknown reader’s personal irrational pet peeves, you’ll never write a good story because you’ll never be focused on it.

If you think that’s “dangerous” talk, that’s just too damn bad. You write your way and I’ll write mine.


Breanne

Thank you to those who responded.

Personally, I always double space because I was led to believe it was the correct way, simple as that. Just like aligning action lines to the left and centring the character names and dialogue...but it seems I was wrong.

And while I will continue to double space since most follow the rule I can't help wondering about the space I'm needlessly taking up by including it that extra line. I know "white space" makes for an attractive script and Breanne made a good point about how double spacing forces you to write more economically but still...those scripts who don't abide are fitting more into their industry standard 120 pager which we miss out on. I must admit, I find it a rather tempting habit to adopt.  

Christopher Nolan doesn’t double space, if that makes you feel any better. I think it all comes down to personal style. Having your own unique way of telling a story. In my opinion, too many writers try to be like someone else. Or each other. The “rules” are fine, and where there is reason, they make sense. But there’s wiggle room. And in my opinion, nothing is worth giving up your own voice.


Breanne

Quoted from Breanne Mattson The “rules” are fine, and where there is reason, they make sense. But there’s wiggle room. And in my opinion, nothing is worth giving up your own voice.

-- Of course, I don't see double spacing as sacrificing your own voice, its purely a technical detail as opposed to adopting some narrative or storytelling technique...now that could be a case of compromising your own voice or style to please a certain demographic, reader, producer, etc.

As I said, I just wondered what people's opinion was on the double spacing issue as it can influence the overall length of one's script and possibly be the difference between eligibility for a certain contest (short or feature length) or not, that's all.

Col.

Mike,

I did not double space my feature, and out of all the professional readers, coverage people, agents, producers, other writers, etc. only one person mentioned it. And this person was a fellow writer and not an industry professional.

IMO double spacing gives the wrong impression of how long a film will run. Double spacing would have added 6 pages to my script. Does that mean it would have run 6 minutes longer?

I doubt it. Chances are it will actually run shorter than its current page total because dialogue scenes tend to move more quickly. So why would I "double inflate" the estimated running time and give people more of a reason not to read it?

The specific question was:

Quoted from Colkurtz8 ... double spacing between the action lines and the next scene heading...

FWIW, Celtx auto double-spaces after both action-to-slug/scene and dialog-to-slug/scene.

Quoted from ajr IMO double spacing gives the wrong impression of how long a film will run. Double spacing would have added 6 pages to my script. Does that mean it would have run 6 minutes longer? So why would I "double inflate" the estimated running time and give people more of a reason not to read it?

-- I find double spacing more aesthetically pleasing on the page and prefer it when reading other people's scripts BUT what you've said above, Anthony, is exactly what concerns me and makes me wonder why I still do it as its clearly not frowned upon in the industry. I concur with the "So why would I "double inflate" the estimated running time and give people more of a reason not to read it" opinion too. Then again, length (in script terms of course ) has always been a problem for me so...

Quoted from Colkurtz8 -- Of course, I don't see double spacing as sacrificing your own voice, its purely a technical detail as opposed to adopting some narrative or storytelling technique...

What I mean when I say it depends on the way you write is that if you write more economically, double spacing may help you meter your script, whereas if you tend to need more of the page, it may be better not to double space.

Quoted from Colkurtz8 As I said, I just wondered what people's opinion was on the double spacing issue as it can influence the overall length of one's script and possibly be the difference between eligibility for a certain contest (short or feature length) or not, that's all.

I honestly don’t think double spacing adds a significant amount of pages. To me, 4 or 5 pages isn’t a big issue. But I’m not big on entering contests either. So maybe people who are big into contests will chime in and give you some feedback.

Personally, it seems like a small issue to me. I hope you find what you’re looking for.


Breanne

Quoted from RayW The specific question was: FWIW, Celtx auto double-spaces after both action-to-slug/scene and dialog-to-slug/scene.

Yeah but check out the Black List, Trigger street or Christopher Nolan (as Breanne mentioned above) and you'll see that a lot of folk are shunning such formatting rules.

Quoted from Breanne Mattson Personally, it seems like a small issue to me. I hope you find what you’re looking for.

-- Yep, correct, it is relatively immaterial to the bìgger picture. I'm gonna stick with the double spacing anyway, being a stubborn creature of habit and all that. Thanks for your input.